Abney Park February 2017

THE CHAPEL
You may have noticed that the Chapel scaffolding has now been completely removed and the tracking that protected Chapel Ride has been taken up. Works to stabilise the Chapel are now almost complete and I hope you will agree that the building is looking splendid. This ‘stabilisation’ of the Chapel will not be the last works to the building, in the coming years we hope to further restore it, however the priorities for this round of works have been to make the building safe and useable. We are hoping to have the Chapel accessible as much as possible, however the building will be locked when there are no staff on site. If you have any questions about the Chapel please do not hesitate to pop into the office and ask.

Finally, we’ll have volunteers in this Spring / Early Summer to sort out Chapel Ride.

VOLUNTEERING AT ABNEY PARK
Abney Park has a variety of volunteering opportunities and we are always looking for new volunteers. If you’re looking for a new challenge for 2017, below are four ways you can get involved at Abney…

Landscape VolunteeringEvery Thursday from 10-2 you can join us out on site helping with landscaping work. The work is very varied, from clearing overgrown areas and planting trees to resurfacing paths and uncovering sunken graves. We provide all equipment, gloves and tea and coffee and a light lunch.

Events Volunteering
Abney Park has a vibrant programme of events running throughout the year and we often need volunteers to steward.

Abney Unearthed Volunteering
Abney Park has recently received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for an exciting 2 year project called Abney Unearthed. This project will engage volunteers to research, remap and learn about those buried at Abney Park by collating all existing knowledge and then filling in the gaps. We’re looking for volunteers to work on site, mapping the graves and recording the information on them and for volunteers to work remotely, researching those buried here.

Tour Guide Volunteering
We are looking to recruit a new team of volunteer tour guides. We’ll provide all the training and support you’ll need to become an Abney Park Tour Guide and you’ll be able to help some of the 250,000 people who walk through the gates each year get the most from their visit. No previous experience is required.

To find out more about any of our volunteering opportunities or to put your name down, please contact volunteering@abneypark.org

FEBRUARY VOLUNTEERING TIMETABLE
We welcome all but ask everyone to please email volunteering@abneypark.org before volunteering for the first time. Meet in the Classroom, the green room on the right as you enter by the Stoke Newington High Street Gates.

Landscape Volunteering
10:00 – 14:00 (arrive from 09:30 for tea) 2nd / 9th / 16th / 23rd Feb 2017
Join us for our regular community volunteering days working out on site conserving and improving the landscape at Abney Park. All tools and materials are provided.

Abney Unearthed Volunteering
10:00 – 14:00 (arrive from 09:30 for tea) 7th / 14th / 18th / 19th / 21st / 28th Feb 2017
Join us as we remap, research and rediscover the approximately 200,000 people buried in Abney Park. We work out on site physically searching for graves and recording information on them and back in the office (or from home) researching those buried at

FEBRUARY EVENTS

Monthly Guided Walk
14:00, Sunday 5h February 2017
Come for a relaxing and entertaining stroll around one of London’s most intriguing and beautiful sites. Learn about Abney Park’s rich history, about some of the characters laid to rest here and about its fascinating flora and fauna.
Donations welcome. Meet at Abney’s main gates, Stoke Newington High St

GREEN WOODWORKING WORKSHOPS / CLASSES
Spoon carving
09:00 – 16:00, 3rd / 25th February 2017
Using an axe and knives, you will make your own cooking spoon from a locally grown tree. This course focusses on safe knife skills. Aimed at complete beginners and those who’ve made the odd spoon but would like to develop their skills.
£75, £60 concessions, booking essential

One-day bowl carving course
09:00 – 16:00, 10th February 2017
Using an axe, an adze, gouges and knives, we’ll each make a carved bowl from a log of wood. Perfect for a fruit bowl, a serving bowl or fancy picnicing. Beginners welcome.
£75, £60 concessions, booking essential

Introduction to Green Woodwork
09:00 – 16:00, 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd February 2017
Taught over 4 consecutive Thursdays, this course is designed to give an introduction to woodworking using and axe and a knife. Suitable for complete beginners
£200, £150 concessions, booking essential

Family Stool Making
09:00 – 15:00, 15th / 17th February
For children and young people (aged 8-18) with an accompanying adult. Each pair will make one stool together to take home – no previous experience is required. We’ll also build a fire and bake potatoes for our lunch.
£75 per pair, £60 concessions, booking essential

For more info on all courses and to book
please email londongreenwood@gmail.com

IN THE STICKS – FOREST SCHOOL

Join us for February Half Term Forest School at Abney Park.

With crisp days and the promise of Spring in the air, it’s a lovely time of year to be outdoors. At our February Half Term Forest School, we’ll have a campfire to keep us warm and an abundance of natural materials to fuel our imaginations.

Abney Park is a beautiful nature reserve in the heart of Stoke Newington. With veteran trees and an abundance of wildlife, it is a wonderful setting for our Forest School. We will explore the wonders of the forest, build dens, go on nature walks, make natural art and craft, play some fun woodland games, plus a lot more.

The sessions are for children aged 6-11 years. The cost is £40 per day per child or £190 for the full week. To book, please email us on info@inthesticks.org.uk with dates, your phone number and your child’s name.

Practical details:Date(s) Monday 13th February to Friday 17th FebruaryTime: 10am-3pmTickets/booking: £40 per day per child or £190 for the full week
Book through info@inthesticks.org.ukAges suitable for 6-11Max no. of people 21Contact details for more info: www.inthesticks.org.uk